favorites.

It's been awhile since I've featured a list of things that are my "favorite" right now. Let's go.

1. "Forever Reign" by Hillsong



2. Kids Helping Kids- Check this out before you do your back to school shopping! Addisyn went to Ethiopia with her parents to adopt her youngest sister and had a life changing experience. For less than a cost of what most of us would spend on "one" article of clothing/ some school supply items, you can help send an Ethiopian preschooler to school! Check out her blog for more information on that!

3. I found my winter coat. Or at least I hope it works. It had pretty good reviews on it and was a good price. Hopefully it can withstand a winter in Chicago. I mean, someone from Toronto said it was warm, and that's more northern than Chicago, right? I'll get back to you about that in October. :)

4. I'm loving Lettergirl's handwriting and her handwritten quotes blog series! I wish I could write that pretty. Maybe I can make that a goal in the upcoming year (which I'm now referring to as The Year of Letter Writing).

5. I'm currently reading "Same Kind of Different as Me" (see reading list above in Nav Bar for more details). I'm finding myself laughing and crying at the same time. It's that good. I'll post a review once I'm done with it.

6. When I was doing my bible study this morning, I came across this line and I wanted to share it:

I'm not sure there is any more important move in our life with Christ than our total surrender to Him. Yes, this can be scary. Yes, it can be costly. But, the earthly and eternal blessings of submission to Jesus are unparallelled. What He can do with a willing life surrendered at his feet is more than we can comprehend. I just know I don't want to miss it for whatever I'm clutching in my hands.

-Kelly Minter, "Ruth: Loss, Love, and Legacy"

7.  I mentioned about a week ago that I'm making/selling canvases to raise money for my Mission Year. I made one for Mom as a "Welcome Home from Africa" present (Yes, did I mention that my parents were in Africa--Zambia--for 11 days?) and I thought I would share it. For someone as nonartistic as myself (I draw stick figures), I thought it turned out pretty good! If you want one, let me know!

same kind of different as me

I just finished reading a book called "Same Kind of Different as Me". It's by Ron Hall and Denver Moore and is a completely amazing book. This book tells the stories of Ron and Denver- how they grew up and how they met.

Throughout thus book, I laughed and I cried. It's what I call a happy-sad book. It's happy AND it's sad at the same time. But, I really enjoyed it. I went into reading this book with high expectations (since my Mom, Dad, and Max had read it and liked it), and my expectations were definitely met. This book opened my eyes to the subject of homelessness (which is a REAL issue that I will be confronted with in approximately one month when I move to Chicago) and really made me think about the ways that I could reach out to people and how the little things that we do to help can make a HUGE lasting impact. When Ron and his wife Deborah first meet Denver, he is what we think of when we think our stereotypical "inner-city homeless dude". But, by  the end of the story, Denver isn't the only one that has a change of heart and life.

"Just tell them I'm a nobody that's tryin to tell everbody 'bout Somebody that can save anybody. That's all you need to tell them" -Denver Moore

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 .

things i'm going to miss about living in the south: part 1

One of my favorite bloggers, Erin, posted this article on her blog today. It's from Southern Living and she (and I!) think that it's pretty much what every Southern gentleman needs to read before reaching, say, the age of thirteen. :)

15 Ways to Charm Her

Southern Living, July 2009

By Amy Bickers

“Want to impress a Southern girl? Just think “What would my grandfather have done?”

Number one: We still expect you to give up your seat for a lady. On a bus, at a bar, on a train. . . we don’t care where you are. Unless you are at a restaurant and the only lady in sight is the one taking your order, stand up. Now.

On a recent Friday night at a bustling restaurant bar, two friends and I waited for our table to be called. The barstools were occupied so we stood patiently, sipping wine and chatting about the workweek. When a couple nearby stood up, another woman – who had been there less time than we had – swooped in, reaching across us to put her purse on the stool. This isn’t the worst part. It’s what happened next: Her male companion then slid onto the other barstool.

Hang on while I do a geography check. Are we not in the South? If ladies are waiting for a seat and you have a Y chromosome, do you sit down? No, sir. No, you do not.

We know modern life is confusing. The roles of men and women have evolved over the years. As Pink once sang, “Shorty got a job, Shorty got a car, Shorty can pay her own rent.”

But come on, let’s keep some things old-school. My late grandfather- he of the East Texas upbringing, U.S. Navy captain status, and Cary Grant good looks – would never have allowed a woman to stand while he sat. And if you want a Southern woman to love you, neither will you. So, men, here’s a short list of things Southern girls still expect from you.

We still expect you to…

1. Stand up for a lady. Actually, this doesn’t just involve chairs.


2. Know that the SEC has the best football TEAMS IN THE NATION. Big 12 fan? Hmm, perhaps you should keep walking.


3. Kill bugs. Delta Burke as Southern belle Suzanne Sugarbaker on Designing Women said, “. . .Ya know, when men use Women’s Liberation as an excuse not to kill bugs for you. Oh, I just hate that! I don’t care what anybody says, I think the man should have to kill the bug!”


4. Hold doors open.  This goes for elevator doors too.


5. Fix things or build stuff. I once watched in awe as my stepfather built a front porch on the house he shares with my mother. He knew just what to do, cutting every notch, hammering every nail. The project was complete by sunset.


6. Wear boots occaisionally. Not the fancy, l-paid-$l,000-for-these kind. We’re talking about slightly mud-crusted, I-could-have-just-come-in-from-the-field boots.


7. Take off your hat inside.


8. Grill stuff.


9. Call us. If you want to ask us out, don’t text and don’t e-mail. Pick up the phone and use your voice.


10. Stand when we come back to the dinner table. ”Just a little half-stand is enough to make me melt,” my friend Stephanie says.


11. Pull out chairs. Wait, that’s not all. Scoot them back in before we hit the floor.


12. Pay the tab on the first few dates. ”If you ask me out, you pay,” Stephanie says. “If I ask you out,  you should still pay.” Listen, guys, it’s just simpler this way.


13. Don’t show up in a wrinkled, untucked shirt. Care about your appearance but not too much. Don’t smell better than we do. Don’t use mousse or gel. You shouldn’t look like you spend more time in front of the mirror than we do.


14. Never get in bar fights. Patrick Swayze might look cool in Road House, but in reality, bar fights are stupid and embarrassing. You don’t look tough. You look like an idiot.


15. Know how to mix our favorite cocktail just the way we like it. Fix your favorite too. Sit down on the porch (it’s okay if you didn’t build it), tell us how your day went, and we’ll tell you about ours.

We’ll leave the long list to the girl who falls in love with you.

I'm just going to make a few comments on this one, as I believe it can stand mostly on its own.

A. My number one thing on my "Potential Future Husband" List (yes, it exists!) is that he has to open doors for me. (Okay, I might be over exaggerating a bit. It actually comes after the whole being a Christian thing and is a subsection to the whole "treating me like the princess I am" thing.) It. Is. A. Big. Deal. One thing I loved about Auburn was that I rarely had to open my own door. Those fraternity boys know what this whole chivalry thing is. And how it isn't dead.

B. You should know I don't normally post stuff from other blogs. I like the whole originality thing. But honestly, I have two little brothers that need to learn this stuff. And since they have frequented my blog at least once in the past, I'm taking a chance that they might read this.

C. Southern Living would have been a lot more effective if they published this in a journal that had more male readership. I'm pretty sure that most members of the male species tend to shy away from Southern Living. Haha. :)

D. I'm about to leave to live in the Lands of the North (aka Chicago) in a little over a month. I'm all over this "southernness". I'm going to miss it this next year.

success.

Des and I had a success today. In order for you to fully understand the importance of all of this, I feel like I should give some back ostory.

When I was sixteen, I got a car for my birthday. One day, on the way home from school, I stopped to get gas. I don't know why it didn't work, but it didn't. The gas didn't want to pump right. And I left the gas station convinced I would never be able to put my own gas in my car. So, since that day, I haven't put gas in my car. I blame it on weak hand muscles. It presented a slight challenge when I went off to college, but I always arranged it right. Let's just say, I have a very nice Daddy. :)

But, today, I conquered the gas pump. You see, Daddy isn't here to fill my car up. And, I know that I have at least three trips into town to make. And I really don't like to get down to the "E". It bothers me. So, Desi and I stopped by the gas station before heading to KFC to pick up lunch. And we successfully filled my car up with gas. I'm so proud of myself. :)



And Desmond and I did the happy dance (well, on the inside, not necessarily the outside). And we called this one a success. And then, I came home and made mashed potatoes (well, the microwave kind) and emptied out the dishwasher. And I felt like a Susie Homemaker. Haha. I might be able to survive independently some day! :)



And Desi is really happy about that one. He's ready for Sissy to move out--because he wants my room! It's Step 1 in his 3-Step-Plan. Haha! :)

Monday.

This morning, I took the boys to go see Despicable Me. It's a super cute (and mostly clean) movie. Des spent the whole movie laughing (to the point I had to tell his to stop before we got kicked out), and I think it will probably be purchased or at least RedBoxed. I think parents and their kids would both like it.



Yesterday I added a nifty little button to the sidebar. Feel free to grab the code from beneath the button and put it on your blog/sidebar/etc. I had one on my blog before the "Big Switch" and I've been meaning to add on to this one. Its 200 pixels wide, let me know if you think I should make one that's smaller (if you have smaller sidebars and such) and what the ideal size would be.

I also made a bigger one, but I thought it was too big. If you like this one better, let me know and I can put it up for grabs too! :)



Now, back to today. I've been trying to figure out how to best use my webcam in the post-Windows Vista age. Before I upgraded to Windows 7, I used a program called YouCam, but that program didn't transfer over and it also in incompatible with Win7. So, I did a little searching on the internet and found a FREE program called Debut (well, it's free for personal, home use). The boys and I tried to create a photobooth, but I couldn't find a good program online (other that Picnik). So, I decided to make Polaroids instead. See?

We. Have. No. Shame.

None. What. So. Ever.

In other news....my Mommy cards came in today from Kodak. Yes, I know I'm not a Mommy. But I still got some made with my information (email, twitter, blog) for when I leave for Mission Year. I figure that they might come in handy for handing out to people that want to keep up with me. So, if I know you IRL and you want one, let me know!

I have class in about 2 hours, so I should probably start by fixing some supper, gathering my papers and books, and getting ready for class! I only have THREE days left though, and I am so happy! I start finals tomorrow (one tomorrow, one Wednesday) and then I will be done with school for a YEAR! (I know, Chicago will be hard work too, but it's different!) I still need to call admissions, call my rental company, make a "Welcome Home" sign, bake a cake, and study, Study, STUDY! Oh- and learning how to cook something other than creamed corn and easy mac might be good too. All in a day's (or a few days) work, I guess! :)

eighty-eight

Eighty-eight.

That would be how many support letters I have written, printed, signed, noted, folded, stuffed, sealed, and stamped in the last few days.



That would be a picture of the eighty-eight letters. If you were wondering about the size of the mess created by eighty-eight adhesive seal envelopes (wait- you thought I licked all of them?!) ....here you go!



But, I can finally say I'm DONE (for now. Until the next batch at least!) All that is left to be done is dropping them off by the post office to be mailed. Because I'm not sure if the mailman would pick them all up. And besides, they wouldn't fit.

In other news,

I feel the urge to share an AUM Alert I received this afternoon.

Approx 1 pm Sunday, officials investigated suspicious object at Goodwyn hall and found it was a large piece of cable. Area safe.

And here's what made me want to share. I never got an alert at 1 when all of this was happening. It was only after the false alarm. I'm still struggling to see why they needed to share this information. I mean, how does cable look suspicious? Did they think it was a snake or something?

It sort of reminded me of a certain news article that I read a few weeks ago. It's the kind of thing that only would happen in Alabama (and reason 247 why I will miss/won't miss this place!).

When two families get into a fight while decorating the church for a wedding, separate plans for the holidays might be advised.

The mother of a bride reported harassment Friday that took place as two families decorated for a wedding on Central Plank Road July 2.

“The families of the bride and groom had not been getting along, and an argument started as the two families decorated the church,” according to the report.

“This escalated when the groom’s mother hit (the bride’s mother) in the back of the head with a ribbon ring, and tried to wrap ribbon around complainant’s neck,” said the report.

The groom’s brother then “body slammed” the mother of the bride. Her husband separated the two, leading to a fistfight between those two men.

Then the groom and another woman started fighting with the bride’s father.

The mother of the groom, “at some point,” bit the bride’s mother on the arm, the report said.

The complainant did not wish to prosecute. The report did not indicate whether the wedding, planned for the Fourth of July, went on as planned.

And...after all that complete randomness...I'm going to stop and save the rest of my stories for another day. :)

Chicago.

I'm going to Chicago. (No, not right now, silly! In September!) Actually, when you get technical about it, I'm going to be living in Chicago. For a year. On the South Side. In a neighborhood called Roseland. I'd normally tell you to Google it, but I actually don't recommend that unless you want to be painted a pretty bleak picture. From the statistics and news reports, it doesn't look like a place I would frequent. But, I'm striving to look at the positive, non-scary parts.Like this doughnut shop. So, here's some facts about Roseland.

It began as a neighborhood of Dutch immigrants. Then, a guy named Pullman came in and built a factory to build parts for his railroad company. During this time of industry in the late 1800s, Roseland flourished. At this point in time, there were "real stores" that were built to serve people on the South Side. It wasn't a "bad" place to go. But, in the 1960s, a lot of the industry stopped. There was new technology that could build the things people needed, so steel mills stopped production. In the 1980s, Pullman's railroad supply factory shut down. There was rapid "ethnic succession" that took place and crime skyrocketed. Most affluent people moved to the nearby city of Pullman (in a phenomenon normally referred to as white flight). Gangs took over. In the 1990s, Roseland gained notoriety after the death of Robert Sandifer, a child who was executed by his gang at the age of eleven.



What about the local high school--Fenger, where last year 6 percent of its students met or exceeded standards on the reading portion of the ISAT [Illinois State Achievement Test].  The same for math.  The PSAE was no better.  This year, 6.3 percent for reading and 1.1. percent for math.  You read that right.  Out of 189 students taking the PSAE in math at Fenger, only two met or exceeded standards.  Where's the outrage? 99 percent of its students are considered low income.  Roseland suffers from high foreclosures and a third of its residents live in poverty, but it can't get stimulus dollars for job training and renovating houses. (Credit: Here)



As you can see above from the simple history (thanks to Wikipedia), Roseland used to be a neighborhood that flourished. It used to have a hope for the future. But, due to a chain of events, the hope was lost. Now, it's up to them to find that hope again. And, I believe that "that hope" is found in Jesus Christ. I believe that by showing these people the love of God and by showing them that other people care about them, a whole lot of change can happen. Does it happen overnight? Of course not. But, over time (more than just the year I will be there), things will change. Hope will be found again.

And-about that whole "danger" thing--since some people have asked-- if I was scared....it's not that much different than some parts of Montgomery. I mean, downtown Montgomery started off pretty great too. But due to some events, that also went downhill. The crime statistics may not be exactly the same, but Chicago's a bigger city. And besides- MY GOD is greater and stronger than anyone who may seek to do evil against me. Nothing will happen that is not within his perfect will. I am so excited to see what God is going to do in this upcoming year--if nothing else, He will change my perspective on some of the hurting people in this world today. Change doesn't happen overnight, but I believe that a difference to at least one person can be made in a year.

Isaiah 58

I'm doing a wonderful bible study at the moment. It's on Ruth and it's by Kelly Minter and you can learn more here if you're wondering about it. Its a six week study, and it is designed for a group, but I'm doing it by myself during my quiet time. It has some really neat recipes in it though that I think would be great for a small group. I'm on Week 3 and I've already decided that my next study is going to be Kelly's other study No Other Gods. I have learned so much already in this study. Today, the lesson mentioned the following verse. I've decided that this is going to be my mantra over the next year. :)

Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;

lighten the burden of those who work for you.

Let the oppressed go free,

and remove the chains that bind people.

Share your food with the hungry,

and give shelter to the homeless.

Give clothes to those who need them,

and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

“Then your salvation will come like the dawn,

and your wounds will quickly heal.

Your godliness will lead you forward,

and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.

Then when you call, the Lord will answer.

‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.

Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!

Feed the hungry,

and help those in trouble.

Then your light will shine out from the darkness,

and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

The Lord will guide you continually,

giving you water when you are dry

and restoring your strength.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like an ever-flowing spring.

Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.

Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls

and a restorer of homes.

-Isaiah 58:6-12

painting

As I posted earlier, I'm going to be leaving for my Mission Year in September. I'm also trying to raise $12,000 over the next year. One of the ways I'm doing this is by selling canvas painting-ish-things. Like this.


The one pictured above is 12 by 16, the others are 11 by 14. I am taking custom orders. I have pink, "island blue", brown, and purple paints right now, and some more are hidden away somewhere. The words can be white or black.  I am going to be selling them for $15 suggested donation to my Mission Year account. You will need to go to www.missionyear.org/support/laurenadam and make your donation. Then, email me and let me know the details. I'm only going to be doing this until I leave, but there is a chance I may make some extras (meaning they wouldn't be custom) that you could buy after I left through my Mom. We will have to wait and see about that. So, just let me know! :)

[caption id="attachment_320" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="One I made for my parents"][/caption]

Service.

Today at church, I got the opportunity to share a testimony with my church about service and the ways I have gotten to serve in my church and how it has impacted my life. This was the first time I talked publicly about going on my Mission Year (though the word had gotten out to some people), and it was so exciting to share what God is doing in my life. I had Mom record it so that I could share it here, so that maybe some people who read this blog, and have heard about my Mission Year can see why I am who I am today.

birthday.

So, today I had a birthday. I'm no longer a teenager....I'm TWENTY! (Which sounds really old.) This morning was the last day of Vacation Bible School, so I awoke bright and early to begin the day. When I went into the bathroom this morning, I was greeted by a birthday poem/song/rap on the mirror from my Daddy.







Since it was my birthday, we decided I needed to wear a birthday tiara, since I am a princess and all. And so, yesterday, we picked up a Cinderella tiara from WalMart. I love that place. :)



At VBS every year, we always raise money for a mission project. This year, the kids raised money for Children's Harbor. We had buckets at the front where kids picked who they wanted to get "sea slushed". The slushing was supposed to happen today, but they moved it to Sunday--I guess to encourage the kids to come back for Children's Ministry Day! But, so that the kids wouldn't be too upset, we decided to do THIS!



We planned for it to look like a surprise. I left the room for a few minutes and Mrs.Lorie told the kids the "plan". That since she wasn't getting sea slushed, that I would get pied because it was my birthday! The kids loved the idea of course (it was messy), and it really wasn't that awful! (It was better than consoling crying Kindergarten kids because they didn't get to see a slushing!) And it had sprinkles. And, you know, sprinkles make everything better! :)

At 5:29 pm, we gathered around the stove in the kitchen to commemorate the time of my birth.



Then, tonight, since it was my birthday and all, I got to pick where to go to dinner. So, we went to Moe's. Because I like Moe's. And we NEVER go there because it's not exactly everyone's favorite. (Except me.) And, we were going to take a picture, but the camera battery was dead. Then, we did a little shopping. While we were out, we found a Ralph Lauren towel that was clearly monogrammed just for me. Hey--it had my name on it! (And no Ralph!) See? Perfect. :)



And then, we came home to eat cake and open presents! And I made an extra special wish--but I'm not telling! :)



Overall, I've had a great birthday. I'm so blessed to have great family and friends to celebrate with. And, I even got to celebrate a little with my church family this morning! I have a feeling that TWENTY is going to be a great year, and I can't wait to see what plans God has in store! :)

Let the vast voyage begin!

Today was Day FOUR of Vacation Bible School! That means we only have ONE day left. You know, I love VBS. And at the beginning of the week, I am so excited about it. But, honestly, I'm tired. Worn out. I think sleeping past 7:30 on Saturday morning is going to be amazing! But, I have also had so much fun this week. I really have a great little crew! So, on to some pictures!

The first place we went is to Bible Story! We learned about when Peter and John healed the paralyzed man, and how the man began to JUMP! Then, we learned about how Jesus heals our wounds, too. He gives us grace when we place our sins on the cross. God's Word is LIFE CHANGING. Let's Go!



Then, we went to crafts where we decorated a picture frame and made a color scratch boat ornament thing. I don't know what they're called. And some of the craft moms offered to take a picture of me working with my kids, since I never get pictures of myself! :)



Then, the kids went to the playground, and I got a little snack break. Because running around with Kindergarten kids is hard work! Then, we brought the kids inside and had a little powdered doughnut break! (No, not messy or full of sugar at all!) And my kids decided they wanted to make silly faces for the camera so that they could look at themselves on the screen. Here's a few for you to enjoy!



After we got all of our silliness out of our systems, we headed to the Sanctuary to watch our Chadder video. Chadder is a chipmunk. This year, he is on a boat (imagine that.). It's kind of hard to explain. Google him to find out more. After Chadder, we have our Floating Finale where we sing some songs. And I take pictures with cute kids like these two (they call me Lala. And I love it.)

And that's day FOUR of VBS! Tomorrow is the last day-- and my BIRTHDAY! (That's right! Today's the last day I'll ever be a teenager!) So, I'm sure it will be full of many exciting adventures!

the journey begins...

This week is my favorite week of the summer. It's VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL time! This year, my church is going on a High Seas Expedition every morning. The kids are learning all about the deep, deep love of Jesus and how God's Word is TRUE and COMFORTING. This year, I am leading a crew of about-to-be Kindergarten children around to the different stations with two youth girls. It's only the second day, but so far, it has been fun. So, I thought I'd post some pictures. :)

It's only DAY 2! I'm sure we still have many adventures to come, but so far we've had a few. No, I haven't actually lost a child yet, but we did survive Voting Day! The church is a polling site, so today we had to adjust and rearrange a bit because we couldn't use part of the building. And, then we had to cross a busy parking lot. And one of my children may have yelled out "Hey! That guy is OLD! Does he drive crazy?" after my children's director made a comment that the children should watch out when they cross the parking lot because of old people with canes and crazy drivers. I can only imagine what is yet to come. Which hopefully won't include this girl getting sea slushed. :)

Tune back in later this week for more VBS adventures!

likes & loves

It's been awhile since I've done a life update (other than sharing about my big move). So, I think that we are long overdue for an update of what is going on in my life.

A. You see, last weekend was the Fourth of July. At least here in Alabama. Maybe people up North celebrate differently, but here we eat food and go to the lake. I made a cake. And I learned that I'm probably not the next Bakerella. I need to work on my crumb coat a bit. And make it not look like Epcot. I'm pretty sure this one looked like a bowling ball cut in half. Oh- and the frosting. It sure was tasty...but it kind of melted off. In the air conditioning. But. It sure tasted good!

[caption id="attachment_251" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="This is of the attempted "Crumb Coat". At least it kept the crumbs out! "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_249" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="This one shows the major meltage"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_250" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="And this is the pretty cake!"][/caption]

B. This is a link. And a general life update. If you haven't noticed, there is a new tab at the top of the blog. It's called Mission Year. And if you go here you can learn more information about this organization. Um...announcement here. I'm leaving in SEPTEMBER to work in the inner city, of one of five cities, with Mission Year. There are still a lot of unknowns in all of this, but I am super excited to see what God is going to do in all of this.

C. One of my favorite bloggers, Adrienne, had her baby super early this week. Baby Bennett was born at 26 weeks, 5 days. She's been updating her blog lots with information, so click the button below to go to her blog and check it out to learn more and pray for this family!

And... A, B, C....that's all for now. :)

New

If you haven't noticed (and I'm pretty sure you would have to be blind not to), I have a new website.

A new domain. A new location. A new look. And I like it.

I'm still tweaking things, so, expect to see some changes.

There are still other things that are new and upcoming.

Things that are, as of yet, still unannouced.

I'm still thinking my way through them.

But, rest assured, you WILL know.

"I've got a big new opportunity. If it succeeds, God is good. If it fails, God is good. My day doesn't determine his goodness."

- Jon Acuff